By Becky Hardin
Updated Aug 7, 2025
Sweet and Sour Dressing is a great choice for simple salads, and it’s really easy to make. This salad dressing recipe is one of my go-tos for pretty much any salad, as it adds a tangy yet sweet twist!
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Easy Sweet and Sour Dressing Recipe
Every good salad needs a good salad dressing. When I fix my favorite salads, I always use this sweet and sour dressing recipe to go with it!
When you see the ingredients all together, it looks like an odd mix—orange juice, vinegar, sugar, mustard, onion flakes—but trust me, once everything is combined into this dressing, the flavor is amazing.
It’s tangy, sweet, and sour, and it complements most salads beautifully. It’s a great dressing where you need a kick of flavor, and it mixes so well with fruitier salads, too!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 cup sugar
- ▢ ⅔ cup white vinegar
- ▢ 2 tbsp orange juice frozen concentrate
- ▢ 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
- ▢ 1 tsp mustard
- ▢ ¼ tsp dried mustard
- ▢ ½ tsp black pepper
- ▢ ¼ tsp salt kosher salt or table salt
- ▢ 1 tbsp poppy seeds optional
- ▢ 1½ cups canola oil
Instructions
- Stir all together except the oil. 1 cup sugar, ⅔ cup white vinegar, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp dried onion flakes, 1 tsp mustard, ¼ tsp dried mustard, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- Place in a food processor or blender and blend about one minute.
- Slowly drizzle in the oil so it emulsifies. 1½ cups canola oil
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Stir or shake before serving.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing Step by Step
Combine the ingredients: Stir together 1 cup sugar, ⅔ cup white vinegar, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp dried onion flakes, 1 tsp mustard, ¼ tsp dried mustard, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp salt, and 1 tbsp poppy seeds.
Blend the ingredients: Place in a food processor or blender and blend for about one minute.
Add the oil: Slowly drizzle 1½ cups oil so it emulsifies.
Store: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
How to Store
This salad dressing will keep for up to one week in the fridge in an airtight container. Stir or shake before serving.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite salad to serve with this dressing is strawberry poppyseed salad , topped with sugared almonds and homemade croutons ! The sweet and tangy dressing ties it all together—it’s salad perfection!
more favorite salad dressings
Homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce or Dressing
Maple Pumpkin Autumn Salad Dressing Recipe
Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe
Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
Homemade Sweet and Sour Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅔ cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp orange juice frozen concentrate
- 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
- 1 tsp mustard
- ¼ tsp dried mustard
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt kosher salt or table salt
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds optional
- 1½ cups canola oil
Instructions
- Stir all together except the oil. 1 cup sugar, ⅔ cup white vinegar, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp dried onion flakes, 1 tsp mustard, ¼ tsp dried mustard, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- Place in a food processor or blender and blend about one minute.
- Slowly drizzle in the oil so it emulsifies. 1½ cups canola oil
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Stir or shake before serving.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
